Course Description:

What is the connection between the way an individual person lives and the creation of a just society? In this course we examine how our everyday choices and character development contribute to the common good. We will do a deep investigation into the grounds of animal rights and the importance of environmental ethics for social justice. Finally, we critique norms of friendship, sex and love, the role of respect and the value of honesty.

Learning Objectives:

Using the philosophical perspectives presented in the class, students will describe their own relationship to significant issues in justice, including issues in education and educational rights, punishment, and the distribution of goods.

Students will acquire the abilities needed to use evidence-based inquiry to present arguments in ethics, including the use of proper citation, and the critical thinking skills needed to distinguish reliable information sources and cogent argumentation

Students will acquire skills in working with others through collaborative group-work projects, including on-line collaboration.

Classroom Etiquette

Leaving/Entering during class

Once a student has entered the classroom s/he should not leave until the class period has ended. Excessive comings and goings, after a warning, will result in a one point deduction from the student’s participation grade. Bathroom breaks are permitted and permission is not necessary.

Electronic devices

The use of electronic devices during class time is limited to accessing the course text. Should a student make any other use of an electronic device during class time without permission from the instructor, the student will lose one (1) point from her/his participation grade for every infraction past the first, which will constitute the student’s sole warning. For example, if a student has headphones in or on her/his ears for a device such as an iPod, or a Bluetooth headset, even if the device in question is not in use, the student will lose one (1) point from her/his final participation grade.

You may use tablets or laptops for reading the text only and taking notes. If you misuse this privilege even once, you will lose it.

Talking

If a student engages in conversation or talking of any sort while the instructor or any other member of the class has the floor, that student will be assessed a one (1) point penalty to her/his participation grade.

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research or writings as your own. The following are some examples of plagiarism, but by no means is it an exhaustive list:

• Copying another person’s actual words without the use of quotation marks and footnotes attributing the words to their source

• Presenting another person’s ideas or theories in your own words without acknowledging the source

• Using information that is not common knowledge without acknowledging the source

• Failing to acknowledge collaborators on homework and laboratory assignments

Internet plagiarism includes submitting downloaded term papers or part of term papers, paraphrasing or copying information from the Internet without citing the source, and “cutting and pasting” from various sources without proper attribution.

(From the John Jay College of Criminal Justice Undergraduate Bulletin, p. 36)